The Alpha's Prize

7

Word Count: 2001

~Hunter

Azura's smile is tentative. She doesn't trust me.

I don't blame her. I'm a complete stranger in her own home, which I can't imagine is a common thing to happen here.

"Just point to the door if you want me to leave." I smooth my hand down my right leg, which is hurt the most by my back injury. "I just need a moment..."

Azura sits up a little, peeking over the edge of the table.

She points at my leg.

"Your brother shot me in the back. It's really affected this leg in particular," I explain, releasing a long breath. My skin is sticky from exertion, and the more I sit the more I don't want to get back up.

Azura winces, shaking her head a little. She doesn't seem surprised.

"I don't like him..." I tell her flatly. No point lying to her.

She smiles, looking down at her book of paintings. She doesn't seem to disagree, although there is something deeper in her smile, like she is sharing a private joke with herself.

"I like Taysa though. She seems nice," I add. I need to be nicer to Tay. I need to let someone like me instead of being wary about everyone around the corner.

Azura's smile fades and she clears her throat.

"Do you mind if I take some books back to my room?" I ask her, motioning at the collection of books around us.

She shakes her head. She doesn't mind.

Heaving myself up, I take my time looking for titles I would interested reading while I'm here. I'm not much of a reader, but I have nothing else to do while I wait for my back to heal.

Once I've collected my stack of four, I turn back to Azura.

"Would you mind helping? My leg..."

She tenses. Her nose scrunches up and she shakes her head quickly, averting her gaze.

Uh oh, I offended her. Either she isn't capable of leaving her seat, she doesn't want to leave or I just asked the sister of an Alpha to help me with something laborious.

I wouldn't assume the latter is the case because it's a harsh judgement to make about a person. However, I've been around so many 'sister's of the Alpha' that I know it to be true in most cases.

Yet, Azura doesn't seem like that.

"Oh. Sorry, it's just that only Kaan is home, and I don't really want to ask for his help," I excuse, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

She stands, grabbing the books from my arm before heading out the door.

"Wow. Thank you." I struggle after her, using the cane to balance myself.

She moves slowly down the stairs, keeping an eye on me as I use both the cane and the bannister to make my way down. I can see that she is using it as a way to examine me, to determine how much of a threat I really am.

"I would love to see some of your art some time," I tell her through harsh breaths. Those stairs are killer.

She nods, walking ahead of me down the hallway.

"I have a...I have no siblings, so sorry if I'm being pushy," I say.

I do have a sibling. One sister. However, Hunter, the version of me I'm slowly creating, doesn't. Considering my experience with having a sibling, I may as well have been an only child.